AUDIO: Les Reed interview

His lack of leadership on and off the pitch, some woeful performances too. He kept quiet in the Summer and let the rumours swirl, only commiting to us once the window had closed. Hardly any in house interviews. Not exactly been Captain material.

 

Sorry, should have wrote professional brat. After all, he hasn't dodged a training session.
There's more to being captain than just turning up. Until the summer I bloody loved the guy, but his over inflated ego rules him now, and that mixed with Mendes is simply something we can't cope with.

 

Eh? When exactly has he played badly? I mean, any worse than other players having an off-game?

So if he "keeps quiet" he's doing it on purpose to fuel rumours ?? If he "speaks out" he's being disloyal and not captain material ?? Riiiiiiiiight.

So why is he still captain?

 

again, WHAT EXACTLY has he done wrong?

 

With you on this CBK; been a great servant; dropped a league to play for us and was the backbone to our promotions. He has his reasons for wanting to leave; has not seemed settled on his return to Saints from the Euro's. Not going to speculate why he wants out - l wish him well.

 

Jose has given Saints what 6/7 years good service. He dropped down a league to join us and hasn't looked back. We in turn have helped him to become a good international player.
He obviously feels that he has got another 4/5 years playing time in his legs. Saints offering him another year extension would have left him short by a couple of years. I would be surprised if any of the big clubs come in for him. However the Portuguese clubs tend to play their players older and therefore longer perhaps? Perhaps he is thinking he needs to move now while he is not far off his peak to maintain a longer career. I will be disappointed to lose him but his request has put Saints in a difficult position. If they give in to his blackmail (or request) is that how some of the longer contract serving players are possibly going to react at some time the future?

 

The squad does need strengthening, we need more goals from the team all round and we are aware of this and we are actively looking to put this right both on and off the pitch. This would be okay.

But apparently everything is great and we will be challenging all those tops sides pretty soon [no we won't].

Worst of all comparing this slump to last season's slump is puerile to say the least - the two situations have no similarity (wasn't there some strong rumours that the board were going to sack Koeman, is that the same too then?) this really gets my gander the two situations just cannot be compared, it smells to me of complacency.

 

I imagine he won't be Captain come the end of January if he is still here.

 

That used to be the case but since the summer things have changed!

 

He did do a Xmas interview for Virgin Media which I got to see as I work for them.

 

By putting in a transfer request he has waived his rights to claim the rest of his contracted wages owed to him, this either him doing us a favour so that we keep the full transfer fee when he goes without shelling out to him or he is on such a fantastic promise with the club that hasn't been in contact with him to agree his personal contract that he feels he does need the extra £4.5m from Saints (assuming £60k pw)

 

I've asked this question before about how can he be wrong both ways without getting an answer. Oh other than "its different"... certainly told me.

 

This discussion is actually almost funny, if it wasn't so damaging to the club.

People there are more shades than black and white. I can see both views clearly here. Jose didn't exactly behave like a model Captain and has not been his usual social media king for the fans. He has however done all the things CBK has said. He has played well (bar a couple of poor games - like all players have) and as far as I can see, he hasn't threatened not to play (he could have done that and not sat on the bench for Europa games).

It's funny because both sides have valid points to make and both sides pick on the bits that suit their views (like CBK basically saying Jose is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't on "speaking out" - pretty much like Les and the club then there )

For me the bottom line is this. Jose wants out and clearly let that be known in the summer. Probably his agent and the Euro thing bigging him up a bit. Actually, I think fair play to him even though it annoyed me at the time - he is a European Champion after all. He has been an excellent player for this club and been a massive part of our journey. On the flip side, I think the club have handled it ok really. I explained that in my replies to Hot Bovril last night and this morning - I don't see anything the club have done wrong or could have done better.

So it's sad. A legend is leaving - let's remember he has been great and not slag him off (unless he lets rip on us) and let's not kick the club because they haven't really done much wrong here. When he goes, farewell Jose and thanks.

 

Good post ^ I don't doubt there is a LOT inside the Grey portion of this "Black & White" story, that we'll never know about. Both sides can have blame attached to them, if its blame that needs apportioning.

Just irks me this drip drip drip of negative comments about Jose that, as far as I can tell, have very little foundation. It maybe coincidental to whats happening, or just a product of social media Chinese whispers. Or it maybe the club setting the groundwork for their story. Again, we'll never know.

At the end of the day, it's just a transfer of a footballer that has been good for us and we've got the best out of him and vice versa. We've had enough of these situations before, compared to others, this is pretty mild (but on top of a bit of a negative period for the club).

He will go, club will move on. Most fans will, some will look forward to a good booing session if he ever plays against us.

 

Agreed. As you may have noticed, I tend to sit in the "we are a wonderful club" camp and like the players leaving having the role of panto villain, but not for Jose. He's not slagging us off and even though he may or may not have told a little white fib about contract offers, he has been marvellous for us. The first thing I posted on here was a reminder that he's been great for us.

I'm just grateful my lad has had 6 months at least of having Fonte on the back of his Portugal shirt he bought in the summer!! So thanks to the club and to Jose for at least making that bit good for this house

 

Agreed, as long as he leaves for his super pay day respectfully I will put him in the same bracket as Sir Rickie Lambert. Understand why he wants to leave (super final payday), has been a great servant and left well so I am happy to clap him on his return to SMS for Manure, Liverpool or Everton

 

Exactly .

As with Sir Rickie . We have done well by him , and he has done well by us . Thank you Jose .

 

"It's not me, it's you".

Look guys, it's the end of relationship. There are things Jose could, and perhaps should (in the cold light of day) have done differently. There are things that the club could, and perhaps should (in the cold light of day) have done differently. They're both fighting their corner a little bit at the moment, which is what happens to keep the self intact and the public face acceptable.

It's just a break up of two things that were once very much in love. It happens, and the likelihood is that they'll both in time look back with some fondness of the warm nights and exciting days spent together. We just have to let them both get this slightly messy bit out of their systems.

 

Nah, sod that. YOU RUINED MY LIFE YOU BITCH!!!!!

Oops. Didn't mean to say that out loud. Ahem. Yes, of course we can still be friends.

 

Oh **** me, not Everton. No clapping for that.